On Monday afternoon, the Republican presidential front-runner's campaign released a statement calling for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on."

"Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine," Trump said.

"Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life."

"This is the kind of thing that people say when they have no experience and don't know what they're talking about. We do not need to endorse that type of activity, nor should we."
Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey

Trump's proposal immediately sparked condemnation from several of his Republican presidential rivals.

Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson's campaign told Business Insider that he would advocate visitors to "register" upon coming to the US. But he would not advocate being "selective on one's religion" for such a registry."

"Everyone visiting our country should register and be monitored during their stay as is done in many countries. We do not and would not advocate being selective on one's religion," said Doug Watts, a campaign spokesman.

Pamela Engel contributed reporting.

RELATED: See how Donald Trump reacted to Obama's address on terrorism

14PHOTOS

Trump tweet reacts to Obama's ISIS speech

See Gallery

'Unhinged': Republicans are slamming Donald Trump's 'outrageous' proposal to stop Muslims from entering the US

BIG NIGHT ON TWITTER TONIGHT. I WILL BE LIVE TWEETING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH AT 7:50 P.M. ( EASTERN). MUST TALK RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM!

I will be re-tweeting some of your better, most imaginative and hopefully insightful tweets. Make them good (great)! Important stuff.

Hillary won't call out radical Islam! She will be soundly defeated.

The podium in the Oval Office looks odd! Not good, but the words will be the key.

Hope he won't spend too much time ripping apart the 2nd. Amendment!

"@dboiarsky: @realDonaldTrump MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, DT! 👍"

"@10inchpolitics: @realDonaldTrump air strikes? Who's air strikes??"

"@JFK4701: @realDonaldTrump he is reading off the TelePrompTer." But that is O.K. in this case.

"@homefreeee: @realDonaldTrump He needs to stop all Visas not look at them!"

Is that all there is? We need a new President - FAST!

Wish Obama would say ISIS, like almost everyone else, rather than ISIL.

Should have gone after the oil years ago (like I have been saying).

Well, Obama refused to say (he just can't say it), that we are at WAR with RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISTS.